Combating Hunger in Elementary School Children in Monmouth County

Middletown, NJ - Goodness Now, an organization committed to combating hunger for elementary school children in Monmouth County, NJ, announced today that it has been given $10,000 from eBay Inc.. The gift was recommended by eBay Inc’s employee-volunteer led New York GIVE Team. Funds will be used to provide over 1400 weekend meals to elementary school children in need so they have nourishment when school is not in session.

Goodness Now was started by 16 year-old Maddy Denton in partnership with Middletown United Methodist Church to provide weekend meals for local school children who depend on free or reduced school lunches as their main source of nourishment. On weekends, or when school is out, these children are challenged to get nutrition and that is where Goodness Now fills the gap.

In the fall Goodness Now partnered with a Monmouth County Elementary school to provide weekend meals for 20 students. These meals are packed each week by the church youth group and delivered each week by the ladies group. The backpacks are discretely delivered to the school classrooms for the students to take home for the weekend. The program has expanded by 50%, and Goodness Now has committed to providing meals through the 2016 school year.

“It’s not right that in a country as great as ours that we have children and families who go to bed hungry, this fall we took a small step together to focus on a local school and group of children to have a positive impact. This generous gift from eBay will allow us to purchase over 1400 meals for local students in need, and we are so thankful for their kindness,” said Maddy Denton, Director of Goodness Now.

Connecting in the local community is a critical part of this program. “The deep impact this grant will have in the Bayshore area of Monmouth County is hard to articulate in words. For the first few months of this program we stepped out in faith and committed to help 20 children weekly.

Goodness started happening when the first bags were delivered to the Elementary school. This grant will enable us to expand the program in previously unthought-of ways, and will make it possible for much more needed goodness to happen now,” said Derrick Doherty, Middletown United Methodist Church.

This year eBay Inc. is recognizing the incredible work our local employees do to support those in need at the holidays by providing additional cash support to their local efforts. eBay Inc. has more than three dozen employee GIVE Teams around the world, made up of more than 300 employees who give their personal time and energy to create programs to support their local communities. We are inspired by their work and want to support and recognize their important efforts.